Lake Malawi Species • Single species tank; Over stock now or stock low and breed?

[Ryanblackheart]

Whilst I appreciate this may vary species to species what is the general thought process on a single species set up with regards to breeding, stock high initially thus reducing aggression and making for more breeding options but leaves little room for fry or stock low and breed the tank up through generations?

If this is too vague then how about a specific example
75 gallon
C.Salousi
(Plus 5 juvenile syno Lucis)

Straight in with 25 or so juveniles
Or
3 males 12 females allow breeding to increase numbers?

Wanting to start a single species breeding colony

[DJRansome]

Stock low leads to aggression problems. You want to overstock (say 20 fish in 75G with mixed genders) to manage aggression.

Mbuna are rarely sold as sexed. I realize there are vendors that claim to do this, but we also get a lot of reports from Members that ended up with wrong ratios in spite of paying for ratios they specified. So...……..

if you want 12 females buy 24 unsexed juveniles and rehome extra males as they mature. For 75G shoot for 4m:16f so buy 30 unsexed juveniles. Saulosi are reputed to be male heavy...in other words more than 50% are males.

You need separate tanks for fry in either scenario, so take that out of the equation for your decision.

[Ryanblackheart]

is there no template to breed and raise in one tank even if it’s a small % success ?

[DJRansome]

The adults eat the babies instantly. You might get one survivor/year. The only period of protection is the 28 days the eggs/fry spend inside the mother's mouth.

Usually that is a good thing because females can spawn 20 fry every six weeks.

If you want a fish that will raise their fry, look into Tanganyikans like brichardi.

[Ryanblackheart]

So my ‘breeding colony’ would be an adult tank and a fry tank not quite what I’d imagined ha ha thanks again DJ

[DJRansome]

Right, Malawi are not generally colony fish. Tanganyikans like brichardi or multifaciatus.